Chapter 229 Chapter 229: “Don’t touch her.” A voice rang out, smooth and commanding, slicing through the murmurs like a blade. All eyes turned toward the entrance, where a tall man stood, his silhouette framed by the harsh glow above. He wore a silver mask that concealed his face, and
Chapter 228 Chapter 228: She seemed flawless, capable of anything, like a Supergirl. Never a hint of weakness, always steady, always in control. It was no surprise that, for all her warmth, she remained more composed and clear-headed than he ever could be. Brad still didn’t understand why Rylie had
Chapter 227 Chapter 227: “Is she out of her mind?” “Daring to call out Silver Snake like that, doesn’t she know who’s backing him?” “She might not make it out of here in one piece.” Silver Snake’s expression had turned glacial as he slowly took his seat. “Very well. Since
Chapter 226 Chapter 226: “If you insist on playing,” he said smoothly, “we’ll begin a new game. Just small bets, for now. I can walk you through the rules. Otherwise…” His eyes drifted down to Phillip, still collapsed beside the table. “You may end up like the one at your
Chapter 225 Chapter 225: Phillip stared at his cards: 7-8-9-10-J, all in the same suit — a straight flush, the strongest hand on the table so far. Unless the man across from him, known as Silver Snake, held the elusive Royal Flush, the win was his. The woman’s whisper drifted
Chapter 224 Chapter 224: “Which friend?” Brad pressed gently. “I can call and ask if it’s alright to bring me along.” Rylie’s polite smile faded into cool detachment as she stepped past him. “Mr. Morgan, we aren’t close enough to share my personal life. You’re merely my VIP patient, and
Chapter 223 Chapter 223: Percy rubbed his aching head. “Didn’t you start this mess in the first place? If you hadn’t crossed her, none of this would have happened!” Paola froze, tears still in her eyes. Then she cried harder. “So now you’re taking her side?! We’ll be out on
Chapter 222 Chapter 222: Laurel staggered backward, bumping into the coffee table. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Kendrick let out a long breath and leaned on his cane. “Laurel, we gave Paola everything — top schools, fine clothes, society events… All of it should have gone to
Chapter 221 Chapter 221: Brad wandered out of the study, one hand buried in his pocket, aimlessly drifting into the garden. His steps slowed when he came upon a trash bin, where he stopped and pulled out a tiny, fragile box. Resting inside, the necklace Rylie had given back caught
Chapter 220 Chapter 220: Sean’s tone grew heavy. “What a monster. Why didn’t you try going to the police?” She bit down on her lip and stared at the floor. “If we report him, we’ll be in even more danger. He used to work in military reconnaissance — he’s sharp,
Chapter 219 Chapter 219: “I know,” Brad said, his tone level. “How do you want to handle this?” Zaylee gathered her courage, meeting his deep gaze. Her heartbeat quickened as she introduced herself, “I-I’m Zaylee, 18 years old, a senior in high school…” Brad gave a slight nod, his attention
Chapter 218 Chapter 218: Seeing how frightened Zaylee looked, Sean continued, his tone gentler. “The girl is still young and naturally opposed to arranged marriages, just like my grandson would be. I will honor my word, but I won’t force anything. If there’s anything you need, you can tell me.”
Chapter 217 Chapter 217: Brad slowly traced the rim of the velvet gift box. “Must we really keep such strict accounts between us?” A phone call cut through the silence. Sean’s voice came through, sharp and urgent. “We have important guests tonight. Be home early.” AdChoices ADVERTISING Rylie heard this,
Chapter 216 Chapter 216: A subtle glance caught Brock slipping out near the foot of the stage, his presence noticeable to no one but her. Once again, Brad had been pulling strings where no one could see. He had a habit of intervening in situations that didn’t truly require his
Chapter 215 Chapter 215: After her last note, Rylie rose with effortless grace, offering the crowd a respectful bow. Whispers rippled through the audience, growing louder with every passing second. “This isn’t plagiarism at all. Rylie’s true creativity is quite impressive! She doesn’t need to copy anyone’s work!” “The gap
Chapter 214 Chapter 214: From the crowd, faint laughter rippled through the silence. Sweat beaded on Paola’s brow, her carefully arranged hairstyle falling apart, loose strands clinging to her flushed face. She gritted her teeth, recalling the expensive score she had bought, and pressed her fingers onto the keys. Relying
Chapter 213 Chapter 213: Her smile was strange in its gentleness, but her words were sharp. “I was accused of stealing from contestant thirty-four. That’s not just an attack on me, it puts my mentor’s name at risk. I cannot allow that.” She paused, her voice steady as she spoke
Chapter 212 Chapter 212: Paola’s trembling fingers lost grip of the ID, letting it drop to the stage floor with a muted thud. Isabella swiftly retrieved it, reading in an increasingly weak voice, “Wesdown International Piano Competition Eshea Region Special Guest Judge… Rylie Owen…” Her voice faded to a whisper
Chapter 211 Chapter 211: The host, fully aware of the potentially disastrous implications of such allegations, stammered, “Could there possibly be some misunderstanding? Our competition is unquestionably fair! Nobody could bribe their way into the finals. In fact, Miss Owen isn’t even listed among the three finalists.” With tears streaming
Chapter 210 Chapter 210: Paola’s skin turned pale, and she swayed where she stood. The girls who had once praised her now looked around in confusion. “How did Rylie even get into the finals?” one of them muttered. “She wasn’t supposed to be here. Did she pay someone off?” None